SEEKING BLESSINGS FROM THE PROPHET (S), THE RIGHTEOUS & THEIR RELICS - PART 4.

From the Layman (Nasir's) Desk: Islamic Article No.16: ISLAMIC BARAKA, Part 4:

In the name of Allah, Most Beneficient, Most Merciful.

                               

Praise be to Allah, Lord of all the worlds, and blessings and peace of Allah upon His Prophet and Messenger Muhammad (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam), his Family and all his Companions. 

Tabarruk with the Prophet's (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam] ablution water and saliva:

These hadiths are extremely numerous. see Fath al-Bari 1989 ed. 10:255-256.

1.   In the chapter of ‘The characteristics of the Prophet', Bukhari narrates:

The Holy Prophet (sal Allahu Alayhi wasallam) was in ‘Abtah’ standing beside the tents. Bilal ® came out from a tent and called the people for prayers. Again he went inside and brought out the remaining drops of water of ablution of the Holy Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam). The people rushed towards it and sought Tabarruk from it.  [Sahih Bukhari, Vol.4, page 231]

2.   About the event of ‘Peace of Hudaibiyya’ Bukhari writes:

“Whenever the Holy Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) was taking ablution, his companions use to take precedence to each other in collecting the drops of water of his ablution.” [Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol.3, page 255]  

3.   In the chapter of ‘Last of the Prophets’, Bukhari narrates from Sa'ib bin Yazid that: “My aunt took me to the Holy Prophet (s) and informed him about my illness. The Holy Prophet (s) made ablution and asked Allah for blessings for me and I drank from the water of his ablution.” [Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol.4, page 227; and Sahih Muslim, Chapter of “Last of the Prophets”.]

4.    Narrated Abu Juhaifa:

Allah's Apostle came to us at noon and water for ablution was brought to him. After he had performed ablution, the remaining water was taken by the people and they started smearing their bodies with it (as a blessed thing). The Prophet offered two Rakat of the Zuhr prayer and then two Rakat of the 'Asr prayer while an 'Anza (spear-headed stick) was there (as a Sutra) in front of him. Abu Musa said: The Prophet asked for a tumbler containing water and washed both his hands and face in it and then threw a mouthful of water in the tumbler and said to both of us (Abu Musa and Bilal), "Drink from the tumbler and pour some of its water on your faces and chests."
[Sahih Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 4, Number 187]

5.   Narrated As-Sa'ib bin Yazid:

My aunt took me to the Prophet and said, "O Allah's Apostle! This son of my sister has got a disease in his legs." So he passed his hands on my head and prayed for Allah's blessings for me; then he performed ablution and I drank from the remaining water. I stood behind him and saw the seal of Prophethood between his shoulders, and it was like the "Zir-al-Hijla" (means the button of a small tent, but some said 'egg of a partridge.' etc.)

   [Sahih Bukhari: Volume 1, Book 4, Number 189]

From the ahadiths in Bukhari and Muslim, it is manifest that the Companions would compete for whoever would get the remnant of the Prophet't ablution water in order to put it on their faces.  Imam Nawawi in Sharh Sahih Muslim said: "In these narrations is evidence for seeking blessings with the relics of the saints" (fihi al-Tabarruk bi athar al-salihin).

6.    The Prophet used to heal the sick with his saliva mixed with some earth with the words: "Bismillah, the soil of our earth with the saliva of certain ones among us shall heal our sick with our Lord's permission."( Bukhari and Muslim.)

7.   The Prophet had everyone in Madinah then Makkah bring their newborn, whom he would read upon and into whose mouth he would do nafth and tifl (breath mixed with saliva). He would instruct their mother not to suckle them that day until nightfall.  [Bukhari, Abu Dawud, Ahmad, Bayhaqi (Dala'il), Waqidi, etc.]

Per scholars, they have the names of over 100 Ansar and Muhajirin who received this particular blessing, complete with isnads.

8.   Narrated Asma’ bint Abu Bakr:

I conceived ‘Abdullah bin AzZubair at Mecca and went out (of Mecca) while I was about to give birth. I came to Medina and encamped at Quba’, and gave birth at Quba’. Then I brought the child to Allah’s Apostle and placed it (on his lap). He asked for a date, chewed it, and put his saliva in the mouth of the child. So the first thing to enter its stomach was the saliva of Allah’s Apostle. Then he did its Tahnik with a date, and invoked Allah to bless him. It was the first child born in the Islamic era, therefore they (Muslims) were very happy with its birth, for it had been said to them that the Jews had bewitched them, and so they would not produce any offspring. [Sacrifice on Occasion of Birth (`Aqiqa)  Bukhari :: Book 7 :: Volume 66 :: Hadith 378]

9.   Abu Musa reported: I was in the company of Allah’s Apostle (may peace be upon him) as he had been sitting in Ji’rana (a place) between Makkah and Madinah and Bilal was also there, that there came to Allah’s Apostle (may peace be upon him) a desert Arab, and he said: Muhammad, fulfill your promise that you made with me. Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) said to him: Accept glad tidings. Thereupon the desert Arab said: You shower glad tidings upon me very much; then Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) turned towards Abu Musa and Bilal seemingly in a state of annoyance and said: Verily he has rejected glad tidings but you two should accept them. We said: Allah’s Messenger, we have readily accepted them. Then Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) called for a cup of water and washed his hands in that and face too and put the saliva in it and then said: Drink out of it and pour it over your faces and over your chest and gladden yourselves. They took hold of the cup and did as Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) had commanded them to do. Thereupon Umm Salama called from behind the veil: Spare some water in your vessel for your mother also, and they also gave some water which had been spared for her. [The Book Pertaining to the Merits of the Companions (Allah Be Pleased With Them) of the Holy Prophet (May Peace Be Upon Him) (Kitab Al-Fada’il Al-Sahabah)  Muslim :: Book 31 : Hadith 6091] 

10.               Narrated Sahl:

On the day (of the battle) of Khaibar the Prophet said, “Tomorrow I will give the flag to somebody who will be given victory (by Allah) and who loves Allah and His Apostle and is loved by Allah and His Apostle.” So, the people wondered all that night as to who would receive the flag and in the morning everyone hoped that he would be that person. Allah’s Apostle asked, “Where is ‘Ali?” He was told that ‘Ali was suffering from eye-trouble, so he applied saliva to his eyes and invoked Allah to cure him. He at once got cured as if he had no ailment. The Prophet gave him the flag. ‘Ali said, “Should I fight them till they become like us (i.e. Muslim)?” The Prophet said, “Go to them patiently and calmly till you enter the land. Then, invite them to Islam, and inform them what is enjoined upon them, for, by Allah, if Allah gives guidance to somebody through you, it is better for you than possessing red camels.” [Fighting for the Cause of Allah (Jihaad)  Bukhari :: Book 4 :: Volume 52 :: Hadith 253]

11.               Narrated Yazid bin Abi Ubaid:

I saw the trace of a wound in Salama’s leg. I said to him, “O Abu Muslim! What is this wound?” He said, “This was inflicted on me on the day of Khaibar and the people said, ‘Salama has been wounded.‘ Then I went to the Prophet and he puffed his saliva in it (i.e. the wound) thrice., and since then I have not had any pain in it till this hour.”  [Military Expeditions led by the Prophet (pbuh) (Al-Maghaazi)  Bukhari :: Book 5 :: Volume 59 :: Hadith 517] 

12.               ‘A’isha reported:

that when any person fell ill with a disease or he had any ailment or he had any injury, the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) placed his forefinger upon the ground and then lifted it by reciting the name of Allah. (and said): The dust of our ground with the saliva of any one of us would serve as a means whereby our illness would be cured with the sanction of Allah. This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Ibn Abu Shaiba and Zubair with a slight variation of wording.  [The Book on Salutations and Greetings (Kitab As-Salam)  Muslim :: Book 26 : Hadith 5444]

13.               Narrated 'Aisha:

In the name of Allah, with the help of the soil of our land and the saliva from the mouth of some of us, our patient shall recover by the will of our God.

[Medicine Bukhari :: Book 7 :: Volume 71 :: Hadith 642

Muslim, as-Sahīh, b. of salām (peace) ch.21 (4:1724#2194)
Ahmad bin Hambal, Musnad (6:93)Hākim, al-Mustadrak (4:412)
Baghawī in Sharh-us-sunnah (5:224-5#1414).] 

Ibn Hajar ‘Asqalānī’s comments on the tradition are as follows:

“The Prophet’s words “from the saliva of some of us” prove that he used to apply his saliva while using a protective invocation (ruqyah) over something. Nawawī says: ‘the tradition means that the Holy Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) put his saliva on his forefinger and rubbed it on to the soil, then he froze it and applied it to the patient or the wound and while applying it, he recited the words of the tradition.’ Qurtubī says: ‘this tradition proves that it is valid to treat any disease by using a protective invocation over it, and it also makes it clear that it was a common and popular practice among them.’ He is also of the opinion that the Prophet’s placing of his forefinger on the soil and sprinkling it with earth justifies its relevance while blowing protective invocation through it… And, surely, it describes the mode of receiving blessings through the attributes of the Lord and the relics of the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam). Then blowing breath laden with protective invocation into something and a divinely inspired sense of purpose and determination have amazing implications which simply stun human reason.
[Ibn Hajar ‘Asqalānī, Fath-ul-bārī (10:208)]   

14.              Saliva Of A Sahaba

Narrated Alaqah ibn Sahar at-Tamimi: We proceeded from the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) and came to a clan of the Arabs. They said: We have been told that you have brought what is good from this man. Have you any medicine or a charm, for we have a lunatic in chains? We said: Yes. Then they brought a lunatic in chains. He said: I recited Surat al-Fatihah over him for three days, morning and evening. Whenever I finished it, I would collect my saliva and spit it out, and he seemed as if he were set free from a bond. He said: They gave me some payment, but I said: No, not until I ask the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him).

He (the Prophet) said: Accept it, for, by my life, some accept it for a worthless charm, but you have done so for a genuine one. [Medicine (Kitab Al-Tibb)  Dawud :: Book 28 : Hadith 3892]

15.               Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri:

Some of the companions of the Prophet came across a tribe amongst the tribes of the Arabs, and that tribe did not entertain them. While they were in that state, the chief of that tribe was bitten by a snake (or stung by a scorpion). They said, (to the companions of the Prophet ), “Have you got any medicine with you or anybody who can treat with Ruqya?” The Prophet’s companions said, “You refuse to entertain us, so we will not treat (your chief) unless you pay us for it.” So they agreed to pay them a flock of sheep. One of them (the Prophet’s companions) started reciting Surat-al-Fatiha and gathering his saliva and spitting it (at the snake-bite). The patient got cured and his people presented the sheep to them, but they said, “We will not take it unless we ask the Prophet (whether it is lawful).” When they asked him, he smiled and said, “How do you know that Surat-al-Fatiha is a Ruqya? Take it (flock of sheep) and assign a share for me.”

[Medicine  Bukhari :: Book 7 :: Volume 71 :: Hadith 632]

Tabarruk with Prophet’s (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) Sweat:

1.   Umm Sulaim reported that Allah's Apostle  (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam ) visited her house and (took rest) and she spread a piece of cloth for him and he had had a siesta on it. And he sweated profusely and she collected his sweat and put it in a perfume and in bottles. Allah's Apostle (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) said: Umm Sulaim, what is this? She said: It is your sweat, which I put in my perfume. Allah's Apostle (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) sweated in cold weather when revelation descended upon him.
[Book 030, Number 5763: Sahih Muslim]

2.   Anas b. Malik reported that Allah's Apostle (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) came to the house of Umm Sulaim and slept in her bed while she was away from her house. On the other day too he slept in her bed. She came and it was said to her: It is Allah's Apostle (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) who is having siesta in your house, lying in your bed. She came and found him sweating and his sweat falling on the leather cloth spread on her bed. She opened her scent-bag and began to fill the bottles with it. Allah's Apostle (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) was startled and woke up and said: Umm Sulaim, what are you doing? She said: Allah's Messenger, we seek blessings for our children through it. Thereupon he said: You have done something right.
 [Book 030, Number 5762: Sahih Muslim]

OtherReferences: Sahi Muslim-Imam Muslim, Chapter: THE FRAGRANCE OF THE SACRED SWEAT OF ALLAH'S APOSTLE (MAY PEACE BE UPON HIM)AND GETTING BLESSINGS FROM IT, Volume:4, Page: 1815, Hadith No #2331

Al Musnad-Abu Dawud At Tayalsi, Volume: 3, Page: 551, Hadith No #2391

Al Musnad-Ahmad Bin hambal, Below are the details
Volume: 19, Page: 59, Hadith No #12000
Volume: 19, Page: 378, Hadith No #12396
Volume: 21, Page: 33, Hadith No #13310
Volume: 21, Page: 73, Hadith No #13366
Volume: 21, Page: 98, Hadith No #13409
Volume: 21, Page: 105, Hadith No #13423
Volume: 21, Page 447, Hadith No #14059
Al Musnad-'Abd bin Humaid, Volume:1 Page: 378, Hadith No #1268

Sunan Al Kubra-Imam Nasai, Volume: 8, Page:465, Hadith No #9721

Sunan Nasai-Imam Nasai, Volume:8, Page: 218, Hadith No #5371 Al Musnad-Imam Abu Ya'la, Volume:6, Page: 409, Hadith No #3769

Sahi-Imam Ibn e khuzaimah, Volume:1, Page: 142, Hadith No #281

Sahi-Imam Ibn e Hibban, Volume:10, Page: 387, Hadith No #4528

Ma'jam Al Kabeer-Imam Tabrani, Volume:25, Page:119, Hadith No #289

Hilyat Al Awliya-Imam Abu Nu'ym,Volume:2, Page: 61

Sunan Al Kubra-Imam Bayhaqi, Volume:2, Page: 591, Hadith No #4198

Shu'b Al Iman-Imam Bayhaqi,Volume:3, Page: 23, Hadith No #1361

Dalail An Nubuwwah-Imam Abu Nu'ym, Volume:1, Page: 442, Hadith No #361

Dalail An Nubuwwah-Imam Bayhaqi,Volume:1, Page: 258

Fathul Bari-Imam Ibn e Hajr 'Asqalani, Volume:6, Page: 573

Khasais Al Kubra-Imam Suyuti, Volume:1, Page: 114

Mawahib Al laduniya-Imam Qustulani, Volume: 2, Page:89.
 

3.   It is narrated by Thumāmah through Anas: That Umm Sulaym used to spread a leather mattress for the Holy Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) where he enjoyed his midday nap. Anas relates that when the Holy Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) woke up, I collected his perspiration and his hair, put these into a bottle and blended them with perfume.  Thumāmah relates that when Anas was on the brink of dying he willed that the scent be applied to his coffin. He relates that the scent was applied to his coffin. 
 

[Bukhārī in his as-Sahīh, book of isti’dhān (asking permission) ch.41 (5:2316#5925).
Sahi-Imam Ibn e Khuzimah, Volume: 1, Page: 142, Hadith No #281

Sharah Mushkil Al Athaar-Imam Tahawi, Volume: 6, Page: 360, Hadith No #2531] 

4.   When Anas was on his deathbed he instructed that some of this bottle be used on his body before his funeral and it was done. [Bukhari].

5.   Ibn Sirin also was given some of Umm Sulaym's bottle.[Ibn Sa`d].

The small water bag of leather as a source of blessing:

1. ‘Abd-ur-Rahmān bin Abū ‘Amrah has attributed it to his grandmother who heard it from Kabshah Ansāriyyah:

Allah’s Messenger (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) went over to see her and there was a small water bag of leather hanging there. He drank water from it while standing. Then she cut off the mouth of water bag on account of its blessing because the Prophet’s mouth had touched it.

[Ibn Mājah narrated it with a sound chain of transmission in his Sunan, b. of ashribah (drinks) ch.21 (2:1132#3423); Tirmidhī graded it hasan (fair) sahīh (sound) gharīb (rare or unfamiliar) in his al-Jāmi‘-us-sahīh, b. of ashribah, ch.18 (4:306#1892), and in ash-Shamā’il-ul-Muhammadiyyah (p.178#203), Ahmad bin Hanbal, Musnad (6:434); Humaydī, Musnad (1:172#354); Ibn Hibbān, as-Sahīh (12:138-9#5318); Tabarānī, al-Mu‘jam-ul-kabīr (25:15#8); and Baghawī in Sharh-us-sunnah (11:379#3042)].

2. Umm Sulaym cut off the mouth of the water bag from which the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) had drunk water.  Anas says:  That the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) came over to see Umm Sulaym and there was a small leather bag (of water) hanging in the house. He drank (water) from this leather bag while standing. Anas says that Umm Sulaym cut off the mouth of the leather bag so it is (still) with us.

[Related by Ahmad bin Hambal in his Musnad (3:119; 6:431); Tirmidhī, ash-Shamā’il-ul-Muhammadiyyah (p.179#205); Abū Dāwūd Tayālisī, Musnad (p.229#1650); and by Tabarānī in al-Mu‘jam-ul-kabīr (25:127#307) and in al-Mu‘jam-ul-awsat (1:379#658)].

Blessing through the holy goblet:

1. Abū Burdah narrates:

‘Abdullāh bin Salām said to me, “Shouldn’t I serve you (water) in the goblet from which the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) had drunk.

Bukhārī narrated it in his as-Sahīh, b. of ashribah (drinks) ch.29 (5:2134).

 2. Abū Hāzim from Sahl bin Sa‘d narrates:           

One day the Companions had the pleasure of the Prophet’s [sal Allahu alayhi wasallam]  company at Saqīfah banī Sā‘idah. Then he asked Sahl to get him (some water). Then I brought out this goblet for him and served him (water) in it. Abū Hāzim said: Sahl brought out that goblet for us and we also drank from it. Then ‘Umar bin ‘Abd-ul-‘Azīz requested that he should hand over the goblet to him and Sahl handed it over to him. And the tradition by Abū Bakr bin Ishāq says: he said, O Sahl, get me some water to drink.

[Muslim, as-Sahīh, b. of ashribah (drinks) ch.9 (3:1591#2007); Bukhārī, as-Sahīh, b. of ashribah, ch.29 (5:2134#5314)].

3. Hajjāj bin Hassān relates:

We were with Anas that he sent for a vessel, which had three female iron lizards and an iron ring in it. He took it out of a black cover, which was less than medium size and more than one-eighth of it, and at Anas’s order, water was brought in it for us. We had the water and poured some of it over our heads and faces and sent salutations on the Holy Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam).

[Ahmad bin Hambal, Musnad (3:187); Ibn Kathīr, al-Bidāyah wan-nihāyah (4:370).  The chain of transmission of this tradition is sahīh (sound)].

4.  And when the goblet that was in the possession of Anas, and from which the Holy Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) used to drink, cracked, he took tremendous pains to repair it. His painstaking efforts are an ample proof of the love and respect the Companions had for the articles directly or indirectly associated with the Holy Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam). The tradition says:

When the Prophet’s goblet cracked, (Anas) repaired it with a silver chain, instead of (repairing it) with something ordinary. ‘Āsim (the narrator) says: ‘I have myself seen that goblet and have also drunk water from it.

[Bukhārī narrated it in his as-Sahīh, b. of khumus (fifth part) ch.5 (3:1132#2942); and Ibn Kathīr in al-Bidāyah wan-nihāyah (4:369)].

Let’s briefly discuss the blessings of some of the other relics!

Continued in Part 5: